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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28181856">redemption</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lnmiose/pseuds/lnmiose'>lnmiose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Timeline, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Suicidal Ideation, aka the original timeline that lucina is from, sort of a character study sort of not, though its nothing graphic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:00:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,414</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28181856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lnmiose/pseuds/lnmiose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When it becomes apparent that his very existence could endanger the Shepherds, Robin struggles with a difficult decision.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chrom/My Unit | Reflet | Robin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>redemption</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>please look at the tags before reading! </p><p>i found this scrap amongst my wips and since it's been a while since i've been able to write for myself, i decided to post it!</p><p>as mentioned, this takes places in lucina's timeline, mirroring a scene in awakening. headcanons i have about robin's situation in that timeline are referenced briefly.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The setting sun painted the sky a burning orange. </p><p> </p><p>It would be a gorgeous sight for a day other than today. </p><p> </p><p>Robin considered this as he stood in one of his favourite sites for self reflection. It wasn’t a field he had visited before Chrom’s army had set up camp nearby, but fields weren’t something that changed much between locations. Grass stretched out before him, swaying in the breeze. Trees lined the clearing, sheltering him from prying eyes. </p><p> </p><p>It was predictable. Uncomplicated. </p><p> </p><p>He shut his eyes, his palm closing around the hilt of the sword attached to his waist. A weapon at one’s side should be something that provides security - a way to protect yourself, your allies, your loved ones, but... </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Pain seared through his head, gripping him in a way like nothing had before, like nothing he thought was possible. He thought he could hear voices, and that the voices were shouting at him, but it was as though he was hearing it from the bottom of an ocean. An ocean of red, whose waves threatened to drown him. Was he walking forward? He thought he could make out the blurry shape of blue hair and broad shoulders. Chrom. Familiarity. Was that why he found himself closing the gap between them? His hands closed around something big and heavy, and he easily tugged it free of Chrom’s grasp. No resistance. Then, a cackle cut through his confusion as sharp as the cut of a blade. Over his shoulder, a shadow loomed. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Validar.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Robin shook his head, as if the action would rid the memory from his head, as if doing so could undo what couldn’t be undone. He was the tactician of Chrom’s army, he had won their trust despite all that was set against him, and yet...</p><p> </p><p>At the most crucial moment, he had betrayed them. He had stolen the fire emblem against his will, and put it in the hands of the man he loathed to call his father. </p><p> </p><p>It was an oversight that never should have happened. ‘How could you have known of the power Validar has over you, just from the link of your blood?’, Chrom would say blamelessly. Through sorrowful expressions on their faces, Robin knew the other Shepherds would make attempts at assurances, too. They trusted him. Despite all that said that they shouldn’t, they <em> trusted </em>him, and Robin had allowed it to happen.</p><p> </p><p>In doing so, he ignored a truth that had long since weighed heavily on his soul. </p><p> </p><p>He didn’t deserve to walk among them.</p><p> </p><p>He knew, from the moment that he joined the Shepherds, that the risk could be too great. He wanted revenge for the death of his mother, he wanted a way to stop the cruelty of his father. The Shepherds were supposed to be a means to that end, but what he found instead... It was so much more. </p><p> </p><p>He found family. He found love.</p><p> </p><p>He found Chrom. </p><p> </p><p>There was a metallic scrape as he unsheathed his sword, and he realised that his hands were shaking. </p><p> </p><p>He was a danger to all that he now loved. That much was undeniable. If no one else could face that fact, then it must be something to be taken into his own hands.</p><p> </p><p>Sweat building on his palms, he turned his blade towards his chest. His breathing growing heavy, he swallowed in a feeble attempt to keep it steady.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> If I hold any love for Chrom, then... I must.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> My life is his. It always has been. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>...</p><p> </p><p>He willed the blade to enter his chest, but it wouldn’t. His hands still shook, but could move no further. The tip of his sword remained a gentle pressure against his skin. </p><p> </p><p>All at once, he felt a frustrated yell escape his lips as the sword dropped from his grasp to mud. His sweaty palms flew to his face, pressing with a force unable to stop the tears that had been building in his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>He was a coward.</p><p> </p><p>All he could see was Chrom’s imagined pleading face. His blue eyes, impassioned with belief and hope. Belief and hope in <em> him</em>. He could hear his voice, firm and unwavering… </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Robin!”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>At first, he did not turn to the call of his name from behind him. It was too likely to be a figment of his imagination. Then, as the rustling of grass seemed to give way to a person, he did.</p><p> </p><p>There, stood Chrom, as if projected to reality from the desperation of his mind. Concern etched into the knit of his eyebrows, his hand tentatively extended out towards him. </p><p> </p><p>Words could hardly form in Robin’s mouth, but hoarsely, a single syllable came forward.</p><p> </p><p>“...Chrom.” </p><p> </p><p>Chrom moved closer, the outstretched hand gently finding its way to Robin’s wrist in a practiced motion. Another hand moved to his face, wiping at the wetness left by the tears that he’d barely noticed.</p><p> </p><p>“I had a bad feeling when you weren’t in your usual place at camp.” Chrom’s voice didn’t waver, but Robin could hear the anxiety that strained at it. “Then, I heard your shout…” </p><p> </p><p>Robin stared down to where he had dropped his sword, and Chrom followed his gaze. Something akin to recognition seemed to form on Chrom’s face, and before he could speak again, words tumbled out of Robin’s mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“I… I can explain. I-”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s no need.” Chrom’s eyes had shut, forcibly. But then, he opened them, and Robin could see the fierce blue that he knew would always stop him in his tracks. “I know you, Robin. I know you’d go to any lengths you deemed necessary to ensure the safety of those you love… but you’re wrong about this. You cannot shake my faith in you!” </p><p> </p><p>“Chrom, this isn’t about trust!” Robin’s voice was pleading. “You saw what Validar did to me! The link of… Grima’s blood in me, he can use it to control me. I know you’d never accept leaving me behind, I <em> know </em>you’d never forsake your trust in me, but… You know of Validar’s plans for me! It’s too dangerous!” </p><p> </p><p>Chrom still did not waver.</p><p> </p><p>“Robin… we have held fast through good times and ill… We swore to be two halves of a greater whole.” Hearing that phrase recited made Robin’s heart ache. “Validar underestimates the strength of those ties, the bond we share. I believe in that far more than his idea of a foretold ‘destiny’.”</p><p> </p><p>Robin wanted to believe Chrom’s words, spoken with such conviction. When his husband spoke, there was an inherent belief in his words - something that no one else had ever managed to convey to him. </p><p> </p><p>Logic had it that Validar would stop at nothing until Robin, the vessel for his God, was returned to his grasp. Logic had it that the risk was too great.</p><p> </p><p>Chrom made it so that Robin had something more to believe in than that.</p><p> </p><p>And all this time, Chrom’s eyes had remained fixed on him, watching with unwavering faith as the cogs turned in his husband’s mind. </p><p> </p><p>Robin felt the ring on Chrom’s finger, beneath his glove. The slightest smile reached his lips. </p><p> </p><p>“... As the wind at your back and the sword at your side, I suppose that there really is no other place for me but adjoined to you.” At the words he chose, he could see his partner’s face soften with love. Love he held for him. Love that they shared. “We will ensure that Validar’s plans for the future… his plans for me, fall to pieces… together.” At the thought of facing Validar, his father, his mother’s murderer, his head tilted downwards. “In truth, I’m not sure that I could face him alone.”</p><p> </p><p>“You won’t have to.” Chrom spoke firmly. “You won’t ever have to.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Chrom…” Robin’s voice was barely above a whisper. Despite himself, playfulness then danced in his eyes. “I’ll hold you to it.”</p><p> </p><p>Chrom chuckled, his laugh overflowing with a warmth that Robin wanted to bottle and hold onto forever. Then, he took a step back, his hand not letting go.</p><p> </p><p>“Dinner should be served by now. Come on. Much to Frederick’s chagrin, we have some of your favourite on the menu tonight.” </p><p> </p><p>“Bear meat?” Robin’s eyes lit up, and then again came his husband’s heartachingly warm laughter. </p><p> </p><p>And in that moment, it all seemed so simple. </p><p> </p><p>Chrom’s fiercely hopeful eyes. His firm but gentle hands. His voice full of a light that shone so brightly.</p><p> </p><p>It was all worth protecting.</p><p> </p>
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